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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ezo" data-source="post: 9615633" data-attributes="member: 7037866">While I don't play 2024, I've never found combat in 2014 D&D particularly tedious. We take about 10 minutes per round for combat with 4 PCs and typically 2-6 foes. Overall we run 45 minutes per battle (4.5 rounds). Some are only 1-2 rounds and we're done in 15 minutes or less--others take 10+ rounds (such as the dragon battle last week) which took 90 minutes easily. But, it wasn't tedious at all since it was an exciting, knock-down, drag-out battle which the PCs barely won.Ultimately, it depends on how much a player enjoys the aspect of battle in D&D and how effecient the players and DM are so individual turns aren't delayed. I roll initiative via excel macro every round, so I can just tell each player when they are "on deck", and even have them start rolling attacks or whatever while I resolve the current player's turn (getting damage from them, etc.).Anyway, I have found having good battle maps where terrain and obstacles can come into play makes the decisions more engaging for the players, allowing cover, different directions the PCs can split up. For example, here is the mountain canyon from last week's dragon battle.The PCs (yellow squares) started to the right (empty) when their familiar spotted the red dragon sleeping on a rock (red circle) so they attempted to stealth by it (orange route) and nearly made it when the dragon heard them. It flew down to the rock (red star), breathed on three of them, and next round flew up to the cliff and landed there. Meanwhile, the PCs scattered (some due to the dragon fear) to solid yellow squares. And so forth.The players (and dragon) were able to use terrain, trees, large rocks, etc. to hide, break line of sight, drink potions, and so on. For a "hard" encounter CR 10 vs. four (and a half) level 9 PCs, it was a pretty epic fight really. One PC was downed in the end, died due to an unlucky natural 1 on a failed death save, but was immediately revivified. Several others were often below half HP, consumed numerous healing potions and spells, etc. Frankly, it was what a "hard" encounter should be IMO.[ATTACH=full]400136[/ATTACH]</blockquote>

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